Kayaking the Everglades: Exploring the River of Grass

Excellent trip! Five Stars! Every day was well planned and quite the adventure. Our group leader, Dillon, led the group with a sense of humor and a calm demeanor. He easily (or it seemed easy to us) reshuffled the planned itinerary when strong winds were unsafe for kayaking on the open waters. We had fun, learned a lot, and enjoyed the week. We highly recommend this trip for those who enjoy the outdoors and physical activity.

This was a great trip. I learned a lot about the everglades. The group leaders were very knowledgeable and always concerned about our safety. Thank you so much.

If you enjoy kayaking in beautiful water with an amazing guide (Dillon) and wonderful companions this is the trip for you.

Had a fantastic time! Our leaders Dillon & McKenzie? were both patient , kind and knowledgeable. I was anxious at first that our group was so large but every day they broke us into two groups and that made all the difference. We had great weather, saw all kinds of wildlife, the food was great and the hotel was just right. Would highly recommend, but I would also recommend reading the suggested books beforehand. It had so much meaning for me to see in person what I read about. Thank you!!

The trip leaders were great and helped us explore beautiful waterways that would otherwise have been inaccessible to me.

My husband and I celebrated his 80th birthday in the Everglades! He’s a good kayaker and I’m an aspiring kayaker. Most of our travel mates were younger than we were but we kept up. I felt like I was back at camp: 7:30 breakfast, 8:30 daily briefing, 9:00 be in the van with your gear for the day.... no lazing around, no pampering, just get out on the water, discover, and learn. We paddled through mangrove tunnels, quiet ponds, open waterways, and we rarely saw other people. At lunch we gathered around picnic tables and made our own sandwiches. For dinner we’d walk or ride to a beachy cafe with personality and delicious fish. Surrounded by water and blue skies, pelicans and palm trees, delightful new friends, no crowds, only an occasional mosquito; we loved it! Thanks to Dillion and Matt, our great guides.

Everglades is more than alligators flora is fascinating .

The paddles are each unique and showcase a specific environment. I learned so much about the ecosystem and the different plants and animals that live there. Everglades City is a gem of a town, still small and remote, but I really enjoyed how nice the locals were to Road Scholar participants.

This trip to kayak the Everglades was everything I expected it to be. The group leader was terrific, and fellow participants were friendly, interesting, and helpful. The environment where we kayaked was beautiful.

This was absolutely a great trip. The wildlife and fauna were incredible, and participants, as always, mad the trip all the more fun.

This was a well organized program with good leadership. The 4 paddle events ranged from hard to easy and included sighting alligators and so many birds. The manatees did not cooperate. Besides paddling all 4 days we had lectures on metamorphosis, snakes and archeology plus a 2 hour boat ride and a visit to a research station. Two lunches were "picnics" outdoors. The seafood meals were over the top and the motel was in a good location (next to the convenience store and within walking distance of seafood grills). Breakfasts were pretty unimaginative but on-time and filling. Good program.

This was a 5 star program. Dillon, our leader was very approachable and did a wonderful job with a bunch of people who had just met. The kayaking was great, with an abundance of wildlife and the kayaks were very stable and all practically new. I would recommend this program to anyone who likes to kayak.

Kayaking the Everglades was my first Road Scholar trip, and I wish it could have lasted another week! The leaders, the participants, the scenery, the schedule, the food, the accommodations, what I learned about Everglades ecology--it was all great! Thank you for a very professionally-done program.

I have always wanted to experience the unique environment, flora and fauna of the Everglades and this program fulfilled that for me. I saw birds, animals, and plants that I'll never see in my home state of Michigan. The daily kayak trips and visits to nature centers and museums was just the right mix. Our leader was excellent and the other tour members enthusiastic and interesting. Everglades City is refreshingly different than the rest of south Florida. I'm glad I challenged myself to do this trip.

Fabulous kayaking experiences in different environments, and our guide Dillon made it interesting and fun! Definitely take this trip!

Kayaking the Everglades: Exploring the River of Grass was a wondrous trip. I amazed myself in that I was able to kayak for 3-4 hours three days. The everglades are beautiful, peaceful, full of birds and plants I many of which I have not seen before. I was concerned about alligators but quickly learned that they were not interested in us. The Tour guide Dillon Griffin and his crew were knowledgeable, accessible and interesting. It was a lovely trip. I want to go to the everglades again.

Our group ranged from one experienced kayaker to no experience at all. In my opinion, this is not a trip for someone with little to no experience. At times the paddling seemed rushed with no breaks other than to let people catch up. Also no time for photos. The group leader, Dillion was very well informed about the flora and fauna of the area. Ivey House was a really interesting place to stay with a lot of history. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. The lectures were all informative and interesting. The Everglades and mangrove tunnels were amazing. Think a mini Jurassic Park! Great trip just be prepared for a fast pace and no picture time.

The Everglades are beautiful and so diverse. The kayaking was great and we experienced so many different types of flora and fauna and learned so much about the ecosystems. Dillon was a terrific leader and made each paddle so meaningful and exciting. Kenzie and Ryan were also great and were very supportive and informative guides.

We enjoyed the excellent variety of kayak trips in different locations, including a twilight paddle and mangrove tunnels.

I thoroughly enjoyed kayaking in the areas surrounding Everglades City. We saw over 50 species of birds, as well as many alligators (not at all threatening), turtles, lizards, dolphins, etc. The trip was highly organized and I learned a lot about the history of the region. Don't expect posh accommodations, because it's a fishing town, but it was clean and comfortable and we enjoyed fresh seafood every night for dinner. Highly recommend.

Kayaking in the Everglades was an experience of a lifetime. The guides were excellent and the other participants were a pleasure to interact with. We were new to the program but plan to participate in more programs offered through Road Scholar.

A great introduction to kayaking! I had never kayaked before but this experience was perfect!

This trip was a great introduction to kayaking. I had only done it once before in Alaska with all those warm and waterproof clothes, this was much more comfortable and easier to navigate. Pace was very good, not too strenuous, mostly calm water with very little current, but sessions were long enough to get a really good workout. It was also fun to see that part of the country: lots of water birds, alligators (not threatening, just sleeping at the water's edge), etc. Very nice trip.

Loved kayaking in the Everglades. The opportunity to observe the animals and flora of the area was enlightening. Our guides were so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in the area and answered any question we could ask. Loved meeting and getting to know the participants in this program. Can't wait to go on another adventure with Road Scholar!

Kayaking the Everglades: the River of Grass was an amazing experience. How often does one get to paddle with enthusiastic new friends in a sunny, tropical locale amidst alligators and flocks of colorful birds? Everything from local seafood, knowledgeable history and wildlife presenters, and exhilarating paddles in a unique setting made it the perfect adventure trip for this solo traveler!

The Everglade kayaking trip was FANTASTIC! Our group leader, Dillion, was great! He was knowledgeable, organized and available for any questions or problems. LOVED seeing all of the alligators and learning about them! It was great to spend time with different people through out the trip. Our whole group was welcoming and fun to get to know. Highly recommend this trip!

If you, like me are interested in visiting as many of our national parks as possible on your bucket list put Kayaking the Everglades - The River of Grass at the top of your list. Faith Herschler

Have you ever dreamed of exploring The River of Grass and experiencing The Real Florida up close and personal? I am so glad I signed up for the Everglades Road Scholars paddle tour and fulfilled my dream! Outstanding!

This is great opportunity to learn more about the Florida Everglades. Don’t worry about the alligators.

What a revelation this trip was as we explored the side-by-side Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. One might think it was all a big, smelly, muddy, bug-infested swamp. NOT AT ALL! Instead, it's a rich, green, pristine environment, encompassing numerous biohabitats, filled with varied bird life, alligators too numerous to count, and some of the most beautiful waterways we've ever kayaked. Dillon and Tom—trip planners, tour guides, van drivers, Everglades Explainers Extraordinaire—were personable, accessible, flexible, fun. Everglades City as the center of our stay, and world headquarters of the Stone Crab industry, is the perfect location in the middle of it all. In fact, it might be fun to add a walking tour of Grimm’s Seafood just to marvel at how this delicacy is made available to the world. The pace was perfect with just the right combination of active, energetic kayaking and leisure time to explore area and take in the natural beauty. Highlights include the mangrove tunnels, the sleepy-eyed alligators, darting kingfishers and stately egrets and herons, soaring pelicans, alas no panthers, thank goodness no pythons. And in March, blissfully mosquito-free! Guest speakers included a local writer on the cultural history of the area and an archeologist on the evolution of the Everglades and the human impact on this unique river of grass. The National Park Service also provided a guest speaker on the ecology of the Everglades. This trip is everything Road Scholar promises: a focus on lifelong learning with experts in the field, combined with an active and energetic outdoor connection with the land and water, plus a compatible and personable group of fellow travelers. —Ben and Joyce Wiley, Largo, FL

Great trip. You will learn so much about this unique area of our country. The paddling is easy, and the scenery and birds are enchanting. The trip is very well organized and the guide is friendly and knowledgeable.

If you like to kayak, this is an interesting trip. The waters were all calm and there was very little issue with currents and no fast waters. If you want to experience some of the Everglades, this trip is worth taking. We saw quite a few gators and some interesting birds. Everglades City is a very small town and therefore has no large city stores or restaurants.

A jaw-dropping adventure in the mangrove/cypress wilderness of the Everglades. Truly a standout trip! We were comfortable and well-fed throughout, and the paddling was great. We had 2 field trips and 3 other classes that were all simply fascinating. Highly recommended!

A wonderful trip in understanding the Everglades up close and personal. Our trip leader, Dillon, and guide, Tom, were most accommodating thorough out the paddles...sharing, guiding, explaining... the wonders along the wonderful waterways within portion of the SW Everglades. What an amazing water world they assisted me to understand. Highly recommend this Road Scholar adventure.

Even though I live in Florida and have visited the Everglades often, I greatly enjoyed the Kayaking trip. I learned many new things about the Everglades, made new friends, and got ideas for further adventures in the Everglades. The daily paddles were enjoyable, meditative, and informational. The guides were true gems of local knowledge and kept the safety of the participants at the forefront. We got to sample local cuisine and learn about pythons, gators, and stone crabbing. Whether you have been to Florida or not, I recommend taking this wonderful kayaking adventure and learning more about the Everglades.

Such a great trip! It was well-organized and safe for all, but most of all I appreciated being in a warm (I live in the northern U.S.), different and beautiful part of our world.

This trip was amazing! I loved all of the opportunities we had to get up close and personal with the nature of the Everglades. The birds were absolutely fascinating and the mangroves, so impressive. Our guides were very knowledgeable, competent, and organized and the place we stayed was very comfortable. I only wished it could have been 5 full days for 5 days of paddling!

Fun trip with great paddles, instructors, lodging and food. Two of the paddles were a bit long and without a break.

"The greats"- guides, accommodations, food, location, paddling, informational lectures and site visits.

The everglades is a unique place and this will be a trip unlike any other. You will see many different birds and may see alligators, panthers, crocodiles, manatee, python and fire ants. You will see gumbo limbo, pond apple and mangrove trees and might see a poison tree. You will need a guide and road Scholar provides a good one.

Physically challenging in a remarkable setting. I was glad that I trained a bit during the 6-weeks prior to the trip; were I to take the trip again, I would train even more. Spacious and welcoming motel. Great leaders, interesting participants.

If you are at all interested in the Everglades and want to try your hand at kayaking, this is an amazing trip!

This is one of the best kayaking programs I've attended. The kayak trips were well coordinated, the accomodations were stellar as were the meals, as was the leader. Come visit Everglades City! You won't be disappointed!

Great guides! Enjoyed the evening discussions. All the topics were interesting. The night paddle was beautiful. Loved the moon reflecting off the water. The food was very good.

The Kayaking the Everglades program was exceptional. I looked forward to the actual kayaking experiences in the various eco systems, but I also wanted to meet like-minded folk, and did. The accommodations in Everglades City were very good and the food choices and local area restaurants were excellent. The program was very well organized and met all by expectations.

Thrilling trip.

As an avid paddler the Everglades has been on my list for 10 plus years. This is the first trip I took with Road Scholar and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the whole experience. The accommodations at the Ivey House were very comfortable. The staff were friendly and professional. The food was plentiful and excellent. Our extraordinary guide and leader, Dillon, was amazing. His knowledge of and respect for the flora and fauna of the Everglades was astonishing and evident. He organized and wrangled boats and paddlers alike and often said his priority was giving us the best experience ever. And he didn't miss the mark! His second, Tom, was as patient and knowledgeable as well. Dillon and Tom's professionalism provided a first rate trip. The speakers and educators that expanded the program were wonderful at sharing a more intimate look into the Everglades magic and history. The local businesses of the charming Everglades City were welcoming and helpful as well. My fellow RSers were a wonderful group of like minded persons. Each and every one of them provided another element of excellence to this trip. I look forward to booking my next Road Scholar adventure!

Loved Everglade City, still much undeveloped, not commercialized but wonderfully quirky. No boutique stores here but great shirts at the Ivey House and the Bait & Tackle shop. Excellent place for singles as restaurants and and bars are comfortable (have fun meeting the locals). Everglade adventure guides attentive and easy going. They have a fun sense of humor; so patient with questions (reminder to read your Information Packet so there will be more time for fun activities). The Ivey House is charming and very clean. Truly thrilling to kayak among alligators and see the wonderful bird life. But if you never kayaked reconsider - getting in and out of kayaks proved challenging to several in the group. Would have liked a presentation on hurricane damages and reconstruction efforts.

We both enjoyed our time on the water. Four outings was the right number for our beginner level of interest. As always (the website tells us we have been on over a half-dozen small group events) we enjoyed the participants as well as the safety-conscious leaders. Several of our group felt comfortable doing every other kayaking trip, rather than the whole program...good leadership to encourage us to stay within our comfort zone.

If the program is revised, so that you get to walk the trails and actually see some of the Everglades, it will be a wonderful program. The kakaking is great.

AWESOME TRIP! And Dillon was the best trip leader ever. Kayaks were in great conditions. Hotel comfortable and clean with good variety at breakfast. Restaurants good except for the Island Cafe - 1/2 hour wait for dreadful food.

Had a wonderful time! Dillon and Tom did a great job of guiding our group thru a fascinating variety of waterways and walks, sharing information about the plants, animals, and history of the area. I'm not a birder, but was very happy to see 5 or more different types of heron, plus osprey, eagle, roseate spoonbills, and more. We also saw manatees. Tom shared a photo of a panther pawprint he found. The kayaks were comfortable and very beginner friendly, the short van rides to and from our stops were also comfortable. I really enjoyed paddling through the Mangroves and out in the bays - so different from the paddling at home. The length and pace of the paddling trips was just right for me. The hotel was very comfortable, and served delicious dinners. Breakfasts were the same every morning, but were varied enough to eat something different each day if we wanted. Hotel sack lunches were hearty - the hoagies were too big, in fact. I also enjoyed the meals eaten out: only one disappointed. We got a lot of information about the history of the Everglades region, the plants and animals, the human history, etc. There was more repetition than I cared for, with different presenters/info films covering the same information.

For anyone who does not remember when she last kayaked but really likes the sound of this trip, GO.You'll be fine and want to do it again.

While this program is listed as "no sweat" it is apparently interpreted by some as "no experience needed." It attracted some people who had no experience kayaking or last paddled 10 years ago when they were in their 70's. The group, rightly so, can only do as much as the slowest member and that can be a disappointment to more active people. Some improvement in the self selection process is necessary. While the trip states you may paddle up to 6 miles a day, it was more like 2 or 3. It is not about the distance traveled, but it limits your exploration and what you can see.

The trip was great, the tour guides were wonderful, we had a great time and we want to do it again.

The kayaking in the River of Grass (Everglades) was a great, exciting and a rewarding experience. The leadership was outstanding and very professional. Kayaking through mangrove coves was a thrill and challenging but the leadership made it easy.

This trip is well worth the effort. Expertise in kayaking is not required; some experience is helpful but you can enjoy without much experience. Leader and Guides are super.

Wonderful program and enjoyable participants. Kayaking was a new experience for me, and with a little effort I was able to keep up. Our program leader was great and worked hard to make sure everyone was comfortable and got the most out of the trip.

This is a wonderful and unique way to learn more about the Everglades. Dillon, our group leader, does an outstanding job with all levels of kayaking and makes certain you have a great experience in the magical Everglades.

I am usually a hiker, but the best way to see the Everglades is on the water. As a novice paddler, the pace of this trip was just right for me -- exploring small waterways and mangrove tunnels, and seeing the many sides of the Everglades. Lots of wildlife on this trip, from alligators and turtles to a great variety of birds. The evening paddle with headlamps illuminating the eyes of alligators hiding under the mangroves was not to be missed. One stormy day cancelled our planned water trip, but the guides instead took us on a short walk and a boardwalk tour with lots of information and close-up viewing of Everglades flora and fauna. Both guides were experienced, good teachers, and very nice. The Ivey House was very comfortable and although Everglades City is a small town, it had several options for tasty dinners.

This was a very enjoyable trip. Location and accommodations were great. Paddling was easy and allowed for lots of enjoyment of plant and animal life. Enjoyed the camaraderie of the group. Best of all was the highly-skilled leader, Dillon. He is not only very knowledgeable in all aspects of the local area and outdoor skills but is a truly nice guy with great people skills.

A terrific trip, saw many kinds of birds, turtles and alligators. Paddled in the mangrove tunnels, and even had an evening paddle. Our leader was the best.

The program was well organized. Our instructor provided us with a wealth of information on the plants, birds and overall ecology. With a small group of 10 we got to know each other quickly and had fun.

It was a wonderful trip. The weather was good, the guides excellent, the food was okay, the arrangements worked out well, and the hotel just fine. The Everglades kayak tours were spectacular! Not often does one get to see a full moon, rise, at night, in the Everglades, while in a kayak. Everglades City is a quint, quiet, friendly town with some great seafood restaurants and interesting tourists attractions. I'd do it again except that there are many other Road Scholar trips I plan to take. Thanks.

RoadScholar programming is extensive and varied--one can find a range of physical activity, many types of intellectual engagement, diverse destinations, and prices for many different budgets.

Don't hesitate to try this adventure. While no paddling experience is necessary, it would be helpful if you have sat in a canoe or kayak. Balance is a key factor. The guides are great and the pace is slow and easy. The history of this gem like no other in the world, and the activities out weigh the traditional box lunches that are necessary to fit in all the adventures during the day. If you are looking for fine dining, this trip is not for you. However, what you will experience will stay with you forever. A very special part of nature that will not be here much longer.

If you have any interest in the wilderness and enjoy kayaking, this is the trip to take. The four paddles were all great learning opportunities, but my favorite was the twilight paddle. Gliding through the Everglades while seeing our headlamps reflected in the eyes of the alligators was an extraordinary experiences.

This was an outstanding tour. I wasn't sure how I'd like being relatively close to gators but the guides eased us into it, so that the twilight tour on the 2nd day, in the dark, with headlamps illuminating the gators' eyes, was magical! So many birds, gators, bromeliads and other plants. I learned a lot.

This program is an ideal way experience nature's magic in the Everglades in a quiet and intimate way without intruding on the fragile inhabitants and ecology that make it all so special. I am still smiling as I revel in the beautiful memories of this trip.

I had very little paddling experience but it was the perfect way to experience and appreciate the Everglades.